Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Even in India where tea is almost a staple drink in most houses, coffee has its own special place. For some people, their day does not start without their morning cup of coffee.

Coffee has been known to boost energy levels and increase attention and focus. This is no more a myth, even research has proven that coffee can have some serious health benefits.

• Research published in the journal Circulation and a finding by the Harvard School of Public Health researchers who surveyed more than 250,000 Americans over 28 years and asked them questions about their diet and coffee consumption, found that among nonsmokers those who drank between three and five cups of coffee daily were up to 15 percent more likely to live longer.

• Coffee raises the level of acidity in your stomach which helps with the digestion of food.

• Coffee stimulates the release of dopamine which is a feel-good chemical and elicits feelings of contentment.

• Harvard researchers found that coffee drinkers have a 10 percent decreased risk of death from heart disease.

• The average metabolic rate of people who drink caffeinated coffee is 16 percent higher than that of those who drink decaf, according to a study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior.

• Coffee is increases your performance while working out.

These are just some of the benefits of this magical drink. However, drinking your coffee the wrong way can prove to be equally harmful. If you are addicted to coffee just like me, let’s see how you can make the most of it and steer clear of its side-effects.

1. Avoid Sugar In Your Coffee

Added sugar is the worst enemy in the modern diet. Adding refined and processed sugar to your coffee can easily undermine its benefits and lead to harmful side-effects. The results will start showing with an expanding waistline.

Drink your coffee sans sugar, that is the best way to have it and enjoy its flavor. If you can’t stand the taste of coffee without sugar, switch to a natural sweetener like stevia. Even though stevia is a natural sweetener, still don’t load your drink with it. The key is to go for as little sugar as possible.

Also Read: The Scam Behind Zero And Low-Calorie Products

2. Drink Black Coffee

Coffee if consumed black is naturally a low-calorie beverage but our quest for taste has turned it into a sugary creamy syrup. Each tablespoon of cream adds 52 calories, while each packet of sugar adds 11 calories to your cup.

Try drinking your coffee black such as espresso, which has less than 10 calories per cup. Black coffee is bitter and it can be difficult to sip this one, but over time your taste buds will adapt to the bold flavor or you might stop drinking coffee at all. If you can’t live without it and can’t stand black coffee there are still ways to keep it healthy, although not as healthy as black coffee.

3. Don’t Add Low-Fat or Artificial Creamers

Anything that is completely natural is any day better than low-fat or artificial products, even if it is full-fat. Low-fat and artificial creamers may contain questionable ingredients. A large number of artificial creamers are made from corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. Certainly, you don’t want these ingredients to enter your body on a daily basis.

Opt for full-fat grass-fed cow milk which is a much healthier option. The cream from this full-fat milk will suppress the bitter taste of coffee and it will give you many health benefits. The full-fat milk has CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) and Vitamin K2 which are great to stay away from heart diseases and cancer.

Alternatively, you can also go for plant-based creamers and milk such as almond, cashew, coconut, etc. They are much lower in calories and provide heart-healthy mono-saturated fats.

Also Read: SuperFat Nut Butters - Tasty and Healthy at the same time

4. Buy Organic Coffee or Grind Your Own Coffee

Buy organic coffee because the quality of coffee depends on the processing method and how the coffee was grown. Coffee plants are heavily sprayed with pesticides and consuming this pesticide-laden coffee daily can build up these harmful chemicals inside your body.

Another way to avoid harmful pesticides could be to buy certified organic coffee beans and then grind your own coffee at home. This means putting in some extra money and effort but is definitely worth it.

5. Add Cinnamon To Your Coffee

Cinnamon is one herb that goes well with both tea and coffee. Add a dash of cinnamon to your coffee to enhance the flavor and to get the many benefits of cinnamon along with your coffee.

Cinnamon can lower blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides in diabetics (1). As you already know that coffee is a great source of antioxidants, adding cinnamon or some other spices such as nutmeg, cloves, etc. can further increase the antioxidants in your cup.

But make sure that you add only a pinch of cinnamon to one cup of coffee otherwise the flavor may get ruined.

Also Read: Intermittent Fasting: 101

6. Add Cocoa or Vanilla extract

Adding unsweetened cocoa or vanilla extract can enhance the taste of your coffee and since these flavors have a sweetness to them, you might not even feel the need for any added sugar.

Apart from the taste, these ingredients can also increase the number of antioxidants in your coffee. Cocoa is known to reduce the risk of heart diseases. (2, 3 ).

7. Don’t Drink On An Empty Stomach

I know the first thing that gets you kicking in the morning is coffee. But, avoid drinking it on an empty stomach because the caffeine causes your body to release sugar into your bloodstream which in turn causes the pancreas to release insulin. On an empty stomach, the insulin release can cause a sharp drop in blood sugar which can then result in more sugar cravings. Furthermore, the caffeine in coffee can suppress your appetite causing you to go longer without feeling hungry.  This further lowers blood sugar and increases sugar cravings.

A better way to deal with is having your coffee along with your breakfast or if you have coffee early in the morning include a healthy fat source with your coffee to slow the process of the caffeine from spiking your blood sugar.

Also Read: Top 10 Quick Pocket-Friendly Healthy Snacks

8. Add Ghee Or Coconut Oil To Your Coffee

No matter how disgusting this sounds, it will make your coffee a zillion times more healthy. Ever heard of the bulletproof coffee? No? People have been going crazy about this super healthy coffee which even makes a great pre-workout drink.

Just add some grass-fed cow ghee or coconut oil to your normal black coffee and your bulletproof coffee is ready. You can also blend it with a handheld blender to get a frothier version of it.

Both ghee and coconut oil are loaded with healthy fats, specifically medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These MCTs have been linked to improved weight loss in multiple scientific studies. Coconut oil has also been linked with a reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

9. Use A Paper Filter

Brewed coffee contains kahweol and cafestol, diterpene that can raise cholesterol levels in the blood (4,5). The solution to this complex problem is pretty simple, brew your coffee using a paper filter. The paper filter lowers the amounts of both cafestol and kahweol but lets the caffeine and beneficial antioxidants pass through it (6).

10. Add Turmeric To Your Coffee

Adding turmeric to latte gives you the bright yellow famous Golden latte which is Instagram's favorite colored coffee. Turmeric is packed with a ton of healthful benefits. Adding it to your coffee can give you anti-inflammatory benefits, and studies also claim that it helps improve your memory.

Also Read: Carb Cycling- What Is It and How It Helps To Lose Weight?

11. Drink Water Before Drinking Coffee

Caffeine has a diuretic effect which means it triggers fluid loss from the body but your body can adjust to a consistent intake of caffeine if you negate its dehydrating effect.

However, many people who drink a lot of coffee don’t normally drink enough water to overcome dehydration. If you’re one of them, try drinking at least one glass of water before you drink coffee to keep yourself hydrated.

12. Don’t Drink More Than 4-5 Cups A Day

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that drinking six or more cups of coffee per day may increase your risk of heart disease by up to 22%. Researchers from the University of South Australia analysed the health records and self-reported dietary patterns of 347,077 participants between the ages of 37 and 73. They also looked to see which study participants possessed a specific gene variant, called CYP1A2, that enables people to metabolise caffeine faster than those without the variant.

The researchers concluded that people with the caffeine-metabolising gene CYP1A2 were not able to safely drink more than 6 cups of coffee a day than those who don't have it.

However, that does not mean you need to stop drinking coffee at all. Drinking 1 or 2 cups a day daily has shown to boost health and metabolism.

Bottomline

Research has time and again proved the benefits of drinking coffee whether it’s with caffeine or the decaf version. However, exploiting coffee to suit our taste and drinking it in excess can lead to various health issues.

By following the tips above you can enjoy your coffee daily without having to worry about its side-effects.

One last tip, avoid drinking coffee late in the day. Have your last cup at least 7-8 hours before you sleep. Drinking coffee late at night can interfere with your sleep and lead to all sorts of health problems.

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